Description
Nanoporous electrically conductive carbons filled with aqueous electrolytes are of interest as systems for electrochemical energy harvesting and conversion. A key process is the formation of the electrical double layer under strong confinement during spontaneous liquid infiltration into the pore network. In contrast to supercapacitors, where charge accumulation is driven by an externally applied potential, ion adsorption and desorption in this case occur spontaneously upon contact with the electrolyte. Although the system remains electrically neutral in the absence of an externally applied potential, local charge separation develops at the carbon–electrolyte interface. Differences in interfacial properties between electrodes can therefore lead to measurable spontaneous open-circuit potentials. The resulting electrochemical response is governed by the interplay between surface chemistry, pore architecture, and electrolyte composition. To investigate these effects, a combined experimental and theoretical approach is employed, allowing systematic analysis of how material treatment and electrolyte properties influence charge redistribution and potential development. To resolve the underlying mechanisms in situ, complementary X-ray techniques are used. X-ray microimaging provides direct visualization of the advancing liquid front during imbibition, while Small-Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS) and X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) yield information on electrolyte distribution and ion rearrangement within nanoporous space. Together, these methods enable a multiscale description of coupled fluid transport and interfacial charge phenomena in nanoporous carbons.
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